Mustapha: Saraki backing Tinubu’s 2027 re-election

The senator representing Kwara Central, Saliu Mustapha, has alleged that former Senate President and Peoples Democratic Party leader in Kwara State, Bukola Saraki, is supporting President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027.

 

Mustapha made the disclosure on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, a day after defecting from the All Progressives Congress to the PDP.

 

The senator, who secured the PDP ticket for the Kwara Central senatorial seat on Friday, said his defection should not be interpreted as opposition to Tinubu.

 

He acknowledged Saraki as the PDP leader in Kwara but said the former governor was not seeking any elective position in 2027 and was instead supporting the “Rainbow Coalition” working for Tinubu’s re-election.

 

“Bukola is not contesting for anything. He’s neither contesting for Senate nor governorship. Bukola is also supporting the Rainbow Coalition that will enrich President Bola Tinubu’s chances,” Mustapha said.

 

He compared Saraki’s position to that of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who remains a PDP member while serving in the Tinubu administration.

 

Mustapha said his defection to the PDP followed a collective decision by members of the G15, Elders’ Caucus, TOPS and Otoge Progressive movement.

 

According to him, the groups considered several political platforms before settling for the PDP and remain committed to Tinubu’s presidential ambition.

 

He said the decision was largely driven by grievances over the APC’s handling of its governorship nomination process, particularly the alleged lack of consultation with major stakeholders.

 

Mustapha identified the PDP faction loyal to Wike as the platform considered suitable for the group, stressing that its political battle was against the emerging political structure of Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, rather than Tinubu.

 

Asked whether the group’s political battle was against the governor, Mustapha said, “Precisely.”

 

He alleged that AbdulRazaq failed to consult key stakeholders before the emergence of the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, as the APC governorship candidate.

 

Mustapha also rejected claims that Danladi’s emergence was endorsed by the Presidency.

 

“The Villa did not endorse Danladi as a candidate for us, nothing like that. I’m 100 per cent sure because I’m an active participant in this process,” he said.

 

He claimed that the governor had initially indicated Ambassador Yahaya Seriki as his preferred candidate before the Speaker emerged less than 48 hours later.

 

Mustapha also dismissed the argument that the 2027 governorship election should be determined by zoning, insisting that competence, rather than rotation, had historically influenced political contests in Kwara.

 

He cited the 2023 election, when AbdulRazaq defeated PDP candidate Shuaib Yaman of Kwara North, despite arguments over zoning.

 

On his political future, Mustapha said his move to the PDP was not motivated by personal grievances over his failure to secure the APC governorship ticket.

 

He said the coalition had agreed to present him as its candidate for the Kwara Central Senate seat.

 

“I’m representing a group of people. I’m not here just for my individual aggrandisement,” he said.

 

Mustapha also denied signing any agreement with AbdulRazaq restricting him to a single term in the Senate, describing a document allegedly circulating to that effect as fraudulent.

 

“I never had any discussion with him or had an agreement signed with him. I’m telling you that it was a fraudulent document,” he said.